Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Department spent on lawyers in each year since 1997; how many (a) actions, (b) settlements and (c) court cases there were in each year and what the costs of each settlement were.

Derek Twigg: The Department incurred the following costs in each financial year since 1997.
	
		
			 Financial year Total cost (£) Number of files worked on by TSD 
		
		
			 1997–98 498,845.38 121 
			 1998–99 344,390.88 137 
			 1999–2000 387,257.75 145 
			 2000–01 483,178.68 135 
			 2001–02 459,860.26 177 
			 2002–03 476,208.71 188 
			 2003–04 705,108.26 192 
			 2004–05(1) 687,098.83 132 
		
	
	(1) To December 2004.
	The column headed "Total cost" shows the total annual cost to the Department of services relating to litigation in courts and tribunals (including services which did not result in the issue of proceedings).
	The Treasure Solicitor's Department's charges for services relating to litigation (which form by far the greatest part of the annual total) include the cost of (a) lawyers (including solicitors and counsel) and other staff, (b) services and disbursements not attributable to the cost of lawyers (such as court fees) and (c) for the years up to 2001–02, costs and damages paid to other parties in litigation by the Department.
	The column headed "No. of files worked on by TSD" shows the number of "files" worked on by the Treasury Solicitor's Department in each year. On receipt of instructions form the Department, a "file" is opened by the Treasury Solicitor's Department to provide a reference for billing purposes. Such a "file" will usually correspond with a court case (or action), but this is not always so. For example, a number of cases may be dealt with under one "file" reference; or there may be a "file" for a claim which is resolved before the issue of court proceedings. May of the "files" will have been worked on in more than one year. If so, the "file" is included in each of the relevant years.
	A breakdown of this information to give details of the number of cases, how many of these were settled or proceeded to a full hearing, and the legal costs of each case on an annual basis could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	The Department's own lawyers do not conduct any litigation on behalf of the Department. The costs of the Department of their services have been disregarded in this answer.

Further and Higher Education

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many claims of disability discrimination in higher education and further education have been made in England in each year since 2002 (a) in total and (b) broken down by county court; and if she will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: My Department remains fully committed to the work we are all taking forward across Government to improve the rights of disabled people. Clearly education plays an important part in removing the barriers to participation in society and we will continue to ensure that it does so. Compliance with the DDA is made clear to all our delivery partners.
	We do not collect this information centrally and it is not a contractual obligation which we place on our delivery partners. To collect such information would require putting in place systems whereby each FE/HE institution would need to complete regular returns, which would add both bureaucratic and financial burdens. To conduct a one off exercise to respond to your question would incur disproportionate costs as we would need to approach all FE/HE institutions directly for the information.
	We have, however, asked the DRC for information on the number of cases they have been involved with and they have informed us that since 2002 they have funded five post-16 cases which have been issued in the county court. Four were resolved before hearing and one is ongoing.

Homophobia

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to provide professional training for teachers on how to tackle homophobic bullying.

Derek Twigg: May I refer the hon. Gentleman to my previous answers of 11 January 2005 and 20 December 2004, with particular reference to the following measures we are taking: guidance for schools entitled "Stand Up for Us: Challenging Homophobia in Schools" and the publication of the research report "Homophobia, Sexual Orientation and Schools: a review and implications for action". "Stand Up for Us" was produced by National Health Schools Standard colleagues with support form both the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health and is specifically designed to inform teachers on how to deal with issues surrounding homophobic bullying. The research report, which was produced by the Thomas Coram Unit, will be used to inform future developments in our work with schools. The Key Stage 3 behaviour and attendance strategy includes a training module on preventing bullying—including homophobic bullying—and schools can access additional support from their local Behaviour and Attendance Consultant.
	Might I also highlight the first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History Month in February 2005. A website has been developed to support this which will suggest activities and events for schools and colleges and offers teachers specific lesson plans and assembly suggestions to encourage and support schools in marking LGBT History Month. It will also provide and online notice board of events and link to current news relevant LGBT History Month. See more at http://www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk
	The activities above all support teaching staff in countering homophobic bullying. We aim to provide them with the tools they need to convey the message to their pupils that homophobic bullying, like any other form of bullying, cannot be tolerated and that we must challenge homophobic language and attitudes wherever we find them.

Sustainable Communities

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it a requirement for all new dwellings in his proposed sustainable communities to (a) be fitted with photovoltaic cells and (b) have separation of drinking water from grey water.

Phil Hope: Minimum performance requirements for dwellings are conveyed through the Building Regulations. These are functional rather than prescriptive to enable compliance in practical and cost-effective ways, and to leave open the possibilities for innovation. It would therefore be inappropriate to prescribe particular technologies such as grey water and photovoltaic cells.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is reviewing the Building Regulations energy efficiency requirements and amendment proposals were published for consultation in July 2004. The proposals include setting minimum performance standards at levels much higher than at present and providing new technical guidance on low and zero carbon systems. The aim is to encourage builders to take more account of the benefits of low and zero carbon systems without being prescriptive. The responses to the consultation will be taken into account in developing the final amendment provisions which we aim to publish this summer.
	Water conservation is being considered under a review of Part G of the Building Regulations which currently deals with hygiene matters. As in the case of energy, water conservation requirements are likely to be in functional terms. However, the supporting guidance is likely to include a suggestion that a separate water supply should be made to toilets. This will enable toilets to be supplied with grey water rather than use drinking water.

Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members the Alcohol Harm-Reduction strategy Industry Stakeholder Group is likely to comprise; and when he envisages that it will hold its first meeting.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 December 2004
	We aim to establish stakeholder groups with particular areas of focus early in the new year, and will want to make sure that all sectors of the alcohol industry are represented.

Crime Statistics (Bedford and Kempston)

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidences of (a) domestic burglary, (b) criminal damage, (c) drug offences, (d) robbery, (e) vehicle theft and (f) violence against the person were recorded in Bedford and Kempston in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Bedford is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area Data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999/2000 onwards. The latest figures for six key offences for 2003/04 can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/cdrptabs.pdf
	More detailed statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website:
	http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk

Custody Sergeants

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on plans to civilianise the post of custody sergeant; and what consultation his Department has conducted with interested parties.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 December 2004
	Clauses 111 and 112 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes that chief officers of police may appoint a staff custody officer in the role of custody officer as set out in Part IV of the Police and Criminal evidence Act 1984.
	The proposal to appoint staff custody officers was contained in the public consultation document "Policing: Modernising Police Powers to Meet Community Needs" published on 12 August 2004. Some 141 responses were received to the exercise, with a number of respondents commenting on the specific area of designated police staff carrying out the function of custody officer. There was strong support for the measure as well as concern about the ability of non-police officers being used in this post.
	We intend to build on the successes already identified in the use of police staff through the workforce modernisation programme. Meetings have taken place with stakeholders at both ministerial and officials' level. Further meetings are planned early in the new year to discuss this and other areas of police powers contained in the Bill. We will use these meetings to consider how best to introduce the role of staff custody officer.

Policing (Young People)

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what remedy is available for a young person, whose parents are mistakenly informed by the police that he has been spoken to about his conduct on the basis that his name and address have been given by another individual to the police;
	(2)  what standard of proof is required, and upon whom, when there is a question about whether a young person, whose parents have been informed in writing that he has been spoken to by the police about his conduct, asserts that he was not the individual spoken to;
	(3)  what opportunity is given to a young person to show that he is not the person who was spoken to about his conduct by the police before it is recorded that his parents have been notified that he has been spoken to about his conduct;
	(4)  what police record is kept when a young person has been spoken to by police about his conduct and a letter is sent to his parents;
	(5)  what steps are taken against a young person whose parents have been notified on one occasion that he has been spoken to by police, if he is spoken to by police again;
	(6)  what action police officers should take to verify the name and address of a young person before they write to his parents to say that he has been spoken to about his conduct;
	(7)  what the status is of records kept by police that a young person has been spoken to by police and a letter sent to his parents where no verification of the individual's name and address have taken place;
	(8)  if he will recommend to police forces that, when asking for a young person's name and address in advance of sending a letter about his conduct to his parents, the individual's date of birth is also noted;
	(9)  if he will introduce a policy that a young person who is spoken to by police about his conduct is taken home to his parents before details are recorded.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 14 December 2004
	The processes used by police forces to check the identity of a young person vary from case to case but will include asking to see any identification they may have on them, taking them home, cross-checking with any peers present at the time or asking their parents to attend the police station after arrest. The individual may also be known to the officer dealing with them. Relatively few young people give false details to the police; where there is doubt the police will make every effort to establish the correct details.
	The processes used by police forces to record details of contacts with young people vary from force to force and will also depend upon the circumstances of the incident itself. Not every contact is recorded as that may be inappropriate.
	In the case of street bail, the police will write to the parents of the young person concerned asking them to attend with their child at an appropriate time. Again, if it becomes clear that the young person is not the one involved in the matter under investigation, police will make every effort to locate the correct person.
	Where the police decide to administer a reprimand or final warning, both of which count as a youth justice disposal, they are required first to make certain that the young person did commit the offence; including their having admitted this to the officer. The police then write to the young person, and their parents if the young person is under 16, asking them to attend at a police station for the reprimand or warning. If for any reason the wrong person has been written to the process will be discontinued with no action recorded against them, and separate attempts made to establish the true identity of the offender.
	There are no current plans to change the way in which individual forces interact with young people as their policies will reflect local community concerns and protocols. However Clause 107 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill will allow the photographing of suspects elsewhere than at a police station. This will provide a safeguard against mis-identification.

Sentencing

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reassess the need for short custodial sentences, including custody plus, where there is no evidence of a deterrent effect or rehabilitative value.

Paul Goggins: The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced Custody Plus, which reforms the structure of short prison sentences. Custody Plus will involve a short custodial sentence followed by supervision and rehabilitation in the community.
	At present most offenders released into the community after short sentences receive no supervision or support. Under Custody Plus, time spent in custody will be one part of an overall sentence plan, managed by a single offender manager, who will be responsible for ensuring appropriate interventions in order to prevent re-offending.

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers on behalf of the House of Commons Commission in the last three years.

Archy Kirkwood: The Freedom of Information Act does not make specific categories of information available, but places a general duty on public authorities to provide information, subject to specified exemptions. The House of Commons is a public authority within the terms of the Act, and written requests for information will be handled in accordance with the terms of the Act. The Act does not apply to parliamentary questions and answers, and I therefore do not expect any significant change in the Commission's practice in answering oral or written parliamentary questions as a result of the coming into force of the Act.

Income Statistics

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of average real personal disposable income was in each year since 1975; and what the percentage change was in each year.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Meacher, dated January 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the level of average real personal disposable income per head (207773).
	The information available is shown in the attached table. The data is presented as annual values for 1975 to 2003. Annual data for 2004 are not published until March.
	The households' series used for these data are for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. The accounts for the household and NPISH sectors are currently combined: separate estimates are not available.
	
		
			  Real households disposable income per head at chained volume measures Ref. Year 2001(2) (£) Percentage change, year on year (%) 
		
		
			 1975 6,011 1.0 
			 1976 5,989 -0.4 
			 1977 5,870 -2.0 
			 1978 6,301 7.3 
			 1979 6,666 5.8 
			 1980 6,767 1.5 
			 1981 6,730 -0.5 
			 1982 6,714 -0.2 
			 1983 6,849 2.0 
			 1984 7,093 3.6 
			 1985 7,316 3.1 
			 1986 7,602 3.9 
			 1987 7,865 3.5 
			 1988 8,276 5.2 
			 1989 8,640 4.4 
			 1990 8,917 3.2 
			 1991 9,066 1.7 
			 1992 9,298 2.6 
			 1993 9,536 2.6 
			 1994 9,657 1.3 
			 1995 9,859 2.1 
			 1996 10,101 2.5 
			 1997 10,491 3.9 
			 1998 10,497 0.1 
			 1999 10,804 2.9 
			 2000 11,427 5.8 
			 2001 11,882 4.0 
			 2002 12,009 1.1 
			 2003 12,272 2.2 
		
	
	(2) The real household disposable income per head series is currently measured in the prices of year 2001. The current prices series for household disposable income is re-valued by the households and NPISH final consumption deflator.

Documents

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is in relation to the storage of documents and the use of shredders; and whether this policy has been reviewed in the past 12 months.

Charlotte Atkins: Documents are stored either close to where they are used or by an off-site storage contractor. Material of no value as a record is disposed of, preferably by recycling, as soon as it is no longer required. Documents that form part of the official record are stored until they reach the end of their retention periods or they are selected for permanent preservation and transferred to The National Archives. When they are no longer required, official records are disposed of by shredding or other appropriate means and paper is recycled where practicable. Retention periods are determined on the basis of business need and guidance issued by The National Archives. Further details can be found at: http://www.nationalarchives. gov.uk/recordsmanagement/.
	The Department's policy on the storage and disposal of records has not changed in the past 12 months.

E-mails

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is in relation to the storage and deletion of e-mails; and whether this policy has been reviewed in the past 12 months.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department continues to implement well established policies and procedures for the review and disposal of files in accordance with its administrative needs and the Public Records Act.
	E-mail messages that form part of the official record are saved for as long as business needs require and stored corporately in accordance with departmental record management procedures. Further e-mail guidance can be found at http://www.nationalarchives. gov.uk/electronicrecords/advice/pdf/managing emails. pdf
	The Department's staff are encouraged to limit the amount of e-mail held in electronic mailboxes and to dispose of e-mail in accordance with the policy. This policy has not changed in the last 12 months.

Experimental Regional Transport Board

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the remit of the Experimental Regional Transport Board for (a) the South East of England and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber is.

Charlotte Atkins: The terms of reference for the experimental boards are set out in the annex to the report "Evaluation of Experimental Regional Transport Boards" which was published on 22 December 2004. http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft localtrans/documents/page/dft localtrans 033632.hcsp

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers on behalf of the Speaker's Committee in the last three years.

Peter Viggers: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to categories of information that the Speaker's Committee had declined to provide in written parliamentary answers in the last three years. I am not aware of any occasion when such a situation has arisen.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Doncaster, Central will reply to the letter of 15 November 2004 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire.

Rosie Winterton: The letter was answered on 11 December 2004.

CPPIH

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the abolition of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

Rosie Winterton: The abolition of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) will contribute to the £500 million savings that will result from the review of all the Department's arms length bodies. These savings will be re-invested in frontline services—this includes patients' forums. We are currently consulting patients' forums and other key stakeholders about the arrangements that will be put in place to support patients' forums once the CPPIH has been abolished.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the change in the timing of the publication of the new NHS dental patients charges regime.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 21 December 2004
	We need to give careful consideration to all aspects of the system reform which we are undertaking. As indicated in the written statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, on 10 January 2005, Official Report, columns 6–8WS, we will move to full implementation by April 2006. As part of these plans, we will publish new regulations for dental charging for consultation in the summer of 2005.

Dentistry

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have applied to become NHS dentists in (a) West Derbyshire constituency and (b) Derbyshire in each of the last seven years.

Rosie Winterton: The information shown in the table shows dentists starting work in the Derbyshire, area for the first time in the general (CDS) or personal dental service (PDS).
	The number of GDS and PDS service dentists starting work is shown by primary care trust (PCT) at September each year for the years 1998 to 2004. This is the earliest available data.
	For West Derbyshire constituency area, there are three PCTs: Amber Valley PCT, Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire PCT, and High Peaks and Dales PCT. Subtotals for these PCTs are recorded in the table.
	
		Number of general and personal dental service dentists who joined PCTs in the Derbyshire area in the 12 months to September each year, 1998 to 2004
		
			 PCT 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 1. Amber Valley 6 6 8 7 9 6 8 
			 2. Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire 1 5 3 6 5 5 7 
			 3. High Peak and Dales 4 6 7 6 8 8 9 
			 Central Derby 7 12 6 6 7 7 6 
			 Greater Derby 6 3 12 9 9 5 10 
			 North Eastern Derbyshire 7 2 4 15 9 6 6 
			 Subtotal of three PCTs 11 17 18 19 22 19 24 
			 Total of above PCTs 31 34 40 49 47 37 46

Dentistry

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what forecast his Department has made of the number of dental practices transferring to a Personal Dental Services contract by December 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the oral answer of 7 December 2004, Official Report, column 1029 from the Minister of State for Health, the hon. Member for Doncaster, Central (Ms Winterton), 
	(1)  whether the 2,500 dentists and 1,000 personal dental services (PDS) sites include (a) the original PDS pilot sites, (b) PDS applications and (c) community dental services;
	(2)  how many personal dental services contract applications are (a) pending and (b) were completed in each of the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 December 2004
	As at 16 December 2004, the Department was processing 502 expressions of interest in making a proposal for a personal dental service (PDS) scheme and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, had approved a further 109 PDS proposals that are not yet in operation.
	During 2004, 802 PDS schemes became operational. Information is not held centrally on in which month in 2004 the schemes went live.
	There are now some 3,500 dentists in 1,300 sites working under PDS arrangements. These figures include the original remuneration field sites managed by the NHS Modernisation Agency under the Options for Change programme, but exclude PDS applications and community dental services. We expect interest in PDS to continue to grow until, with implementation of the new contractual arrangements for national health service dentistry, the benefits of PDS are available to all NHS dentists.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of travel within the UK for the Department was in each year since 1997; and how much of this was spent on (a) hire cars, (b) helicopter hire, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence.

Rosie Winterton: The Department's total spend on travel within the United Kingdom since 1997 is shown in table 1.
	
		Table 1
		
			  £ 
			  Amount 1 
		
		
			 1997–98 6,230,714 
			 1998–99 5,421,862 
			 1999–2000 6,726,111 
			 2000–01 6,948,398 
			 2001–02 7,546,829 
			 2002–03 7,189,396 
			 2003–04 7,720,637 
		
	
	(3) The cost of hire cars is included in these amounts, but is not available separately. There has been no expenditure on helicopters.
	The Department's spend on day and night subsistence within the UK is shown in table 2.
	
		Table 2
		
			  £ 
			  Amount 1 
		
		
			 1997–98 870,832 
			 1998–99 852,272 
			 1999–2000 1,083,664 
			 2000–01 1,369,780 
			 2001–02 1,392,948 
			 2002–03 1,421,354 
			 2003–04 2,019,014 
		
	
	(4) Expenditure on subsistence includes hotel accommodation, but this is not separately available.
	All travel complied with the requirements of the "Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers" and the "Civil Service Management Code".

Food Colourings

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to protect children against hyperactive behaviour which may be caused by colourings (a) tantrazine (E102), (b) sunset yellow (E110), (c) camoisine (E122), (d) pancean 4R (E124) and (e) sodium benzoale (E211); and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: These substances were the subject of a Government-funded study to investigate the possible link with hyperactive behaviour. The committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment assessed the outcome of this work and concluded that it was difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding the significance of the results, but that this was still an area of significant scientific uncertainty that warranted further investigation. A new study with improved experimental design is underway and is due to finish in March 2007.

Hospital Food

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to take steps to restrict the amount of (a) salt and (b) fat in hospital food.

Melanie Johnson: Public procurement of food through the national health service offers an opportunity to demonstrate best practice in influencing access to healthier foods. We have made a commitment in the Government's White Paper, "Choosing Health", to develop nutritional standards for all foods provided by the NHS, increasing access to a range of healthier foods and taking account of the different formats of provision including restaurant, fast food and vending. Planning for the implementation of this is underway and more details will be available in 2005, when the Government publishes its delivery plan for the White Paper.
	The Department has already engaged the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency in discussions to reduce the salt content in processed foods supplied to NHS trusts and a salt reduction plan has been drawn up. Work to reduce fat will build on this approach.

Natural Teeth

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when figures for the percentage of adults in each region with no natural teeth in 2003 will be available.

Rosie Winterton: The general household survey results were published on the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk/ghs/ on 16 December 2004.
	The table shows the percentage of adults with no natural teeth by Government office region. The percentage of adults in England with no natural teeth has fallen from 14 per cent., in the 1995 general household survey to 9 per cent., in the 2003 survey.
	
		Percentage of adults with no natural teeth by sex and Government office region
		
			 Persons aged 16 and over Great Britain: 2003 
			 Government office region Percentage with no natural teeth Weighted base (000's) =100% Unweighted sample 
		
		
			 England
			 North East 14 1,924 750 
			 North West 11 5,076 2,207 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber12 4,044 1,669 
			 East Midlands 10 3,236 1,603 
			 West Midlands 11 4,191 1,937 
			 East of England 6 4,043 1,686 
			 London 6 5,392 1,985 
			 South East 6 6,316 2,539 
			 South West 9 4,097 1,808  
			 All England 9 38,319 16,184 
			 Wales 12 2,207 1,005 
			 Scotland 17 4,030 1,637 
			 Great Britain 10 44,557 18,826 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics—2003 general household survey.

Patient Environment Action Teams

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what elements of hospital cleanliness were assessed in the process of compiling the 2004 Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) scores for hospital cleanliness; how the elements assessed differed from those used to compile the PEAT hospital cleanliness scores in previous years; for what reasons these changes were introduced; and what further plans he has to change the PEAT hospital cleanliness assessment procedure.

John Hutton: The latest patient environment action team assessment included cleanliness of the external grounds, entrances and reception areas, wards, emergency departments, other departments and waiting areas, public areas, departure lounges, toilets and bathrooms. In addition, cleanliness is a factor—directly or indirectly—in areas relating to waste handling, linen, decor, hard and soft furnishings, lifts, stairwells and staff uniforms. Previous assessments included these areas but not in the same level of detail.
	The 2005 assessment has been amended to include a section relating to aspects of infection control, and discussions are underway with the Healthcare Commission about the design of the assessment from 2006.

Television Advertising

Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he had with broadcasters prior to the publication of proposals for limitations on advertising on children's television set out in the Public Health White Paper.

Melanie Johnson: The Department discussed its proposals for restrictions on the advertising and promotion of food to children, as set out in the White Paper "Choosing Health: Making Healthier Choices Easier", with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and with Ofcom and other key Government Departments and agencies. There were no formal discussions with individual broadcasters in the development of those proposals, although Ofcom and relevant Government Departments will be discussing the detail of the proposals with key stakeholders, including broadcasters, in due course.
	Planning for the implementation of this and a number of other initiatives are underway and more details will be announced in 2005, when the Government will publish their delivery plan for the White Paper.

Tsunami

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what special assistance the NHS is offering the on-going relief effort in South Asia following the tsunami disaster; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Advice received from the Department for International Development has confirmed that, due to the large-scale Government and public response of many countries, the affected areas are receiving adequate medical supplies and equipment and that, at present, no additional medical or nursing staff are required. This situation is being monitored regularly and should the position change, the Department is actively considering how an national health service response would be handled.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by the Office in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case.

David Miliband: Equipment leasing arrangements and costs entered into by the Cabinet Office in each of the last two years are shown in the table.
	
		
			£ 
			  Entered into in financial year 2003/04 Entered into in financial year 2002/03 Total 
		
		
			 Mobile telephones 12,974 11,830 24,804 
			 Photocopiers 131,072 561,279 692,351 
			 Laptops 31,296 748,440 779,736 
			 Telephony 36,000 70,014 106,014 
			 Total 211,342 1,391,563 1,602,905

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of those invoices was paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of those invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it.

David Miliband: Cabinet Office is a signatory to the Better Payment Practice Group, a partnership between public and private sectors, formed to improve the payment culture of the UK business community and reduce the incidence of the late payment of commercial debt. The Cabinet Office has procurement and payment procedures in place to promote payment within contractual terms and to ensure awareness of late payment legislation. Cabinet Office policy is that all invoices not in dispute should be paid within 30 days of receipt (or otherwise if specified as part of the contract.)
	Cabinet Office and its agencies achieved payment of 97.79 per cent. of its invoices within its target for the period April 2003 to April 2004.
	Of the 2.21 per cent. invoices paid late, 52 per cent. related to disputed invoices. We are unable to provide the age analysis of the remaining 48 per cent. except at disproportionate cost.
	Comparable payment performance for the period September 2003 to September 2004 showed an increase in the number of invoices paid within the target.
	During this period 97.86 per cent. of invoices paid within 30 days. 76 per cent. of the 2.14 per cent. invoices paid late were disputed invoices. We are unable to provide the age analysis of the remaining 24 per cent. without disproportionate costs.

IT Projects

George Osborne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list Cabinet Office IT projects in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) amount spent, (b) purpose, (c) cost of over-run and (d) time of over-run.

David Miliband: Information relating to information technology projects for each year since 1997 is not held centrally and is not separately identifiable in the Department's accounting systems. It cannot therefore be readily retrieved without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure/Equipment

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent by his Department on (a) indoor bought plants, (b) indoor hired plants, (c) outdoor bought plants and (d) outdoor hired plants in each year since 1997.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Amounts spent on plants by DFID over the period in question are as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Indoor purchased Outdoor purchased Indoor hired Outdoor hired 
		
		
			 1997–98 0 0 0 0 
			 1998–99 1,758 0 0 0 
			 1999–2000 2,049 2,538 0 0 
			 2000–01 3,203 0 0 0 
			 2001–02 63,785 0 270 0 
			 2002–03 10,198 141 0 0 
			 2003–04 16,198 0 0 0 
		
	
	Expenditure in 2001–02 was primarily due to refurbishment of our new Palace Street London headquarters, which included purchase of plants.
	All expenditure incurred in the purchase and procurement of services and items is made in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

Departmental Expenditure/Equipment

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent by his Department on (a) new furniture and (b) hired furniture in each year since 1997.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has spent the following amounts on furniture in the UK since 1997:
	
		
			   £ 
			  New furniture Hired furniture 
		
		
			 1997–98 80,322 0 
			 1998–99 189,753 0 
			 1999–2000 213,259 0 
			 2000–01 245,784 0 
			 2001–02 1,224,854 0 
			 2002–03 698,779 0 
			 2003–04 370,180 1,577 
		
	
	Much of our expenditure on furniture in recent years has been associated with the refurbishment of our main UK buildings (including moving to a new London headquarters at the beginning of 2002), and has been spent on modern, smaller, workstations suited for open plan environments and flexible working arrangements such as hot-desking.
	All expenditure incurred in the purchase and procurement of services and items is made in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

European Development Fund

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the (a) study awards to and (b) activities undertaken by (i) AEC, (ii) AGRER and (iii) GTZ referred to in the latest audit report of the European Development Fund.

Hilary Benn: Under EDF6, contracts for management of technical assistance and study scholarship awards were concluded by open tender. Successful tendering organisations were GTZ (Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit—the German development co-operation implementing organisation), AEC (Association Europeenne des Conservatoires—a Commission established cultural and educational network) and Agrer (providing studies and assistance in development assistance project implementation). Some Commission Delegations in partner countries also managed these schemes directly.
	Advances were paid to Delegations in European Development Fund (EDF) partner-countries and to managing organisations in Europe as part of the normal system of financing scholarships, managing technical assistance and making payments to students.
	The Commission is winding up the contracts with GTZ and AGRER. AEC is in liquidation. The advances were partially settled in 2004 (and this will appear next year in the Communication on the 2004 accounts) and further settlement will continue in 2005. Department for International Development officials are in touch with the Commission over closure of these contracts and settlement of advances.

European Development Fund

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the doubtful debts from the Congolese account referred to in the latest audit report of the European Development Fund.

Hilary Benn: A portion of a European Development Fund (EOF) beneficiary country's allocation is deposited in a local national state bank account for disbursal on the authority of the National Authorising Officer (NAO) with approval of the European Community (EC) Head of Delegation. When the 9th EDF became operational in April 2003, all previous EDFs were consolidated into EDF9. Upon consolidation £2.744 million allocated to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from previous EDFs remained as a full unspent balance in a local account.
	When the November 2004 report of the accounts for the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th European Development Funds (EDF) for the financial year 2003 was being prepared, the European Commission was unable to obtain information on the unspent balance from the Banque Centrale du Congo. As there had been no Commission presence in the country since 1996, in accordance with the "prudence" principle in accounting, the Commission decided to provide in full for a potential loss.
	However, the Commission has since been able to confirm that all the funds are still at its disposal in the original bank account. This has been confirmed in writing by the bank. In effect, therefore, the full amount concerned has now been recovered. The recovered funds will revert for reallocation within the DRC's current EDF programme.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether departmental special advisers have written to external (a) bodies and (b) individuals in their official capacity since May 1997.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Chichester to the reply given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office, (Ruth Kelly) on 14 December 2004, Official Report, column 1004W.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions between 31 March 2002 and 31 March 2003 his special advisers travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Chichester to the response I gave him on 1 September 2003, Official Report, column 880W.

Tsunami Aid Relief

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has discussed with the relevant national and international bodies the possibility of individual communities devastated by the Asian earthquake being adopted by communities in the UK to raise funds for the re-building of a specific community; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Secretary of State for International Development recently visited Indonesia and Sri Lanka, where he met with representatives of the respective Governments and of UN agencies and major NGOs. The Governments of the countries affected are leading and co-ordinating the response to this disaster, both on immediate relief and longer term reconstruction, working together with the United Nations, the World Bank, and other agencies. The UK will be following up its immediate humanitarian response with longer-term support, working within the framework set out by the Governments concerned. It is of course important that longer term reconstruction in the areas affected is properly coordinated so as to be as effective as possible.
	The most immediate way that local communities in the UK can assist is by contributing to appeals by humanitarian agencies. Where there is an existing link with an affected community overseas it makes good sense to build on that relationship by offering support to the overseas community. Where no such relationship currently exists, there may well be further scope for developing twinning arrangements with the aim of providing practical support.
	A first step for UK communities wishing to be involved with local communities in the recovery effort would be to consult the relevant UK Embassies and High Commissions, and UK-based community organisations of the countries affected. Most have websites giving details of the most practical and effective ways of supporting the relief and reconstruction effort. DFID is in direct contact with the Governments and agencies concerned and provides details of how individuals and organisations in the UK can help through our website: www.dfid.gov.uk.
	Since the disaster, we are in contact with the Local government association about how UK local authorities might be able to work with local municipalities and authorities in the countries affected by the tsunami. Local councils and authorities are eligible to apply to DFID's Civil Society Challenge Fund, which aims to help poor and excluded people to enhance their capacity to organise, and get their voices heard and to demand better services and better access to them.

Tsunami Aid Relief

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to co-ordinate the work of the UK Government with non-governmental organisations on the tsunami disaster relief effort.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has been in daily contact with British non-governmental organisations since the disaster struck. The Secretary of State for International Development and I, met with representatives of the Disasters Emergencies Committee on 31 December and the Prime Minister and I had further discussions with them on 5 January. DFID officials hold weekly meetings with a wider group of non-governmental organisations to share operational information. We will continue to keep in close touch with non-governmental organisations here in the UK and through DFID's Country Offices during the relief phase and ensure that we maintain these strong contacts as we enter the recovery phase.

Tsunami Aid Relief

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to monitor effectiveness of spending of donations by (a) the Government and (b) the public to the tsunami disaster relief efforts.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has standard procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of the assistance it provides that involve careful assessment of need and considered targeting of our response from the outset. DFID sent humanitarian advisers to the region to ensure funding decisions were based on good assessment and information and were part of a co-ordinated effort. The monitoring of our assistance is supported by DFID's Country Offices. We will be following up our response with an evaluation of its effectiveness.
	DFID does not monitor the effectiveness of public contributions to the relief effort. The main non-governmental organisations have their own procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of their individual responses and those members of the Disasters and Emergencies Committee (DEC) are committed to subsequent evaluation of their response, for each DEC public appeal.

Vulnerable Children

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will discuss with other (a) G8 and (b) EU member states making orphans and vulnerable children a priority during 2005.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Our Presidencies of the G8 and the EU present an important opportunity to take action to bring the world together to make further progress to tackle HIV and AIDS.
	The UK has two priorities for the G8 summit: Africa and Climate Change. DFID shall make AIDS a centrepiece of our Presidencies of the G8 and EU in 2005, and focus on AIDS at high level UN-General Assembly events, in the context of our strong commitment to Africa. The two key priorities for Ads this year are bringing the world together to tackle AIDS and maintaining HIV prevention momentum.
	We have asked the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to work with us to develop a plan of action to realise high-level, time-bound and concrete commitments to ensure delivery of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Declaration at country level. In early 2005, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the UK will co-host a high-level meeting, "Making the Money Work", to agree an action plan, within the Three Ones' concept, to underpin future co-operation between developing countries and their partners. The aim of "Making the Money Work" is to achieve consensus on ways of stepping up the response to AIDS in the most affected countries and making sure that national governments can drive forward the action they need to take with the support of international partners.
	We will also be hosting the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria's second replenishment conference in September 2005. This meeting will be held alongside a broader AIDS funding meeting, building on the March event, which aims close the financing gap for AIDS.
	By the end of 2005, DFID intends to have agreement among donors and the international system on a harmonized and funded plan to tackle AIDS so that we can move forward on treatment, prevention, care for orphans and vulnerable children as well as research into better treatments, vaccines and microbicides.

Vulnerable Children

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with other (a) agencies and (b) governments on endorsing and adopting the UNAIDS/UNICEF strategic framework on orphans and vulnerable children during the global forum.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: In July this year, DFID was one of the first bilateral development agencies, along with he Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to endorse the UNAIDS/UNICEF Framework for the protection, care and support of orphans and vulnerable children living in a world with HIV/AIDS. Since then we have taken every opportunity to promote its use with governments and other organisations working to provide protection, care and support to children affected by AIDS.
	In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, our country programme teams have been engaged with the rapid assessment, analysis and action plan process. This has resulted in 16 national action plans for orphans and vulnerable children being developed. These are based on the Framework guidance.
	On 16 December 2004, I spoke at the Global Partners Forum on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Washington (a copy of the speech is available in the Library of the House). The Global Partners' Forum provided a good opportunity for policy dialogue with other agencies. There was discussion with the World Bank, which is developing work on vulnerable children around social protection, and with representatives from the Netherlands and Norway on how we might work more closely with them in this field.
	The Global Partners' Forum demonstrated that the Framework is widely accepted, even if not all agencies have officially endorsed it. The key issue now is ensuring it is put into practice. A good start has been made in sub-Saharan Africa. There and in Asia, DFID will be providing at least £150 million over the next three years to support national OVC responses guided by the Framework and working closely with international partners, in particular with UNICEF.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the running costs of the Department were in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) electricity, (b) water, (c) gas, (d) telephones, (e) mobile telephones and (f) televisions.

Maria Eagle: DWP was formed in June 2001 from Department of Social Security (DSS) and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment, including the Employment Service (ES).
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Departmental running costs
		
			£000 
			 Totals 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Electricity 6,743 7,503 6,170 7,661 7,897 7,478 9,061 
			 Water 1,553 1,701 1,392 1,534 1,736 1,516 1,868 
			 Gas 1,666 1,902 1,563 1,903 2,031 1,782 2,185 
			 Telephones 31,438 32,136 26,584 53,084 38,860 64,149 57,418 
			 Mobile Telephones n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,286 3,551 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for years prior to 2001–02 refer to the former DSS and ES.
	2. Expenditure on mobile telephones was not collected separately prior to 2002–03.
	3. Information on expenditure on televisions is not collected separately.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men aged 60 to 64, (b) men aged 55 to 59, (c) men aged 50 to 54, (d) women aged 55 to 59 and (e) women aged 50 to 54 were contracted out of the state second pension into either an appropriate personal pension or a stakeholder pension in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the distribution of earnings within each group.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following tables.
	
		Number of men and women contracted out with an appropriate personal pension or stakeholder pension aged 50 and over
		
			  Appropriate  personal pension Stakeholder  pension 
			 Age group Men Women Men Women 
		
		
			 50 to 59 476,000 89,000 (5)2,000 (5)1,000 
			 60 to 64 19,000 — — — 
		
	
	(5) Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used only as a guide.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on scheme membership at the end of the 2002–03 tax year, the latest year for which the information is available.
	2. They include those with earnings below the LEL (for examples people on a career break or who are unemployed) who would not qualify for an age-related rebate for the 2002–03 tax year.
	Source:
	"Second Tier Pension Provision" published by the Department for Work and Pensions using the Lifetime Labour Market Database which uses a 1 per cent. sample of national insurance records.
	
		Earnings distribution of men and women of all age groups contracted out with an appropriate personal pension or stakeholder pension
		
			  Appropriate  personal pension Stakeholder  pension 
			 Earnings distribution Men Women Men Women 
		
		
			 Up to £4,999 1,354,000 1,070,000 (6)7,000 (6)5,000 
			 £5,000 to £9,999 202,000 238,000 (6)4,000 (6)6,000 
			 £10,000 to £14,999 376,000 237,000 9,000 11,000 
			 £15,000 to £19,999 495,000 168,000 10,000 (6)5,000 
			 £20,000 to £24,999 393,000 102,000 9,000 (6)5,000 
			 £25,000 to 29,999 289,000 70,000 7,000 (6)2,000 
			 £30,000 and over 364,000 69,000 8,000 (6)2,000 
		
	
	(6) Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used only as a guide.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on scheme membership at the end of the 2002–03 tax year, the latest year for which the information is available.
	2. They include those with earnings below the LEL (for examples people on a career break or who are unemployed) who would not qualify for an age-related rebate for the 2002–03 tax year.
	Source:
	"Second Tier Pension Provision" published by the Department for Work and Pensions using the Lifetime Labour Market Database which uses a 1 per cent. sample of national insurance records.

E-mails

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his Department's policy regarding the retention of e-mails in electronic form (a) after and (b) up to 1 January 2005; and what instructions have been given regarding the deletion of e-mails prior to 1 January 2005.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office continues to implement well established policies and procedures for the review and disposal of files in accordance with its administrative needs and the Public Records Act.
	E-mail messages that form part of the official record are saved for as long as business needs require and stored corporately in accordance with departmental record management procedures. Further e-mail guidance is available on the National Archives website at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/electronicrecords/ advice/pdf/managing emails.pdf.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the running costs of the Department were in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) electricity, (b) water, (c) gas, (d) telephones, (e) mobile telephones and (f) televisions.

Jacqui Smith: The running costs for DTI HQ estate in respect of utilities since 1997 is based on available information. The figures are as follows.
	
		
			  Electricity (£000) Water (£000) Gas (£000) 
		
		
			 2003–04 957 90 137 
			 2002–03 942 137 103 
			 2001–02 855 137 121 
			 2000–01 929 171 115 
			 1999–2000 1,036 165 100 
			 1998–99 917 151 108 
			 1997–98 1,065 n/a 108 
		
	
	
		
			  Telephony (£000) Mobile telephony 1 (£000) 
		
		
			 2003 3,898 410 
			 2002 3,792 343 
			 2001 3,668 343 
			 2000 3,477 227 
			 1999 2,837 263 
			 1998 3,099 91 
		
	
	(7) Centrally managed contracts.
	(f) Televisions. Information is not held centrally.

National Minimum Wage

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have benefitted from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in each year since its introduction in (a) Stroud, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) South West England.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is unlikely that figures will be obtainable for Stroud and Gloucestershire due to small sample size.
	The latest low pay data from the ONS show that 1.1 million people in the UK stood to benefit from the October 2004 uprating of the National Minimum Wage. The DTI will provide estimates of National Minimum Wage beneficiaries by region as soon as possible. These figures will be made available in the Libraries of the House.

Retired Miners Concessionary Fuel Schemes

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the (a) total cost and (b) number of beneficiaries of the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme was in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) solid fuel and (ii) cash-in-lieu of solid fuel;
	(2)  what the level of entitlement to concessionary fuel is for each of the client groups entitled to receive it under the retired miners' scheme; and what the cash-in-lieu rates are.

Nigel Griffiths: There are two main agreements in force the first of which is the National Concessionary Fuel Agreement that covers former Mineworkers, clerical staff, Officials and weekly paid industrial staff and the second of which is for former managerial grades of the British Coal Corporation—the British Association of Colliery Managers (BACM) agreement.
	
		
			 National concessionary fuel agreement Average annual tonnage Cash rates (£) from 1 October 2004 
		
		
			 Full Householder level 4.2 276.52 
			 Quasi Householder level 2.8 184.34 
			 Sub Householder level 1.4 92.18 
			 B.A.C.M. — — 
			 Full Householder Level 3.1 621.37 
			 Quasi Householder level 2.05 466.03 
			 Special rate of Cash in Lieu  92.18 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The Full Householder level of entitlement typically covers a three main room property where the beneficiary and his spouse are the sole owners or tenants of the property.
	2. The Quasi Householder level of entitlement typically covers a two main room property where the beneficiary and his spouse are the owners or tenants of the property.
	3. The Sub Householder level typically covers bed sit type properties or where the beneficiary has moved to live with relatives or, in the case of cash in lieu, has moved into residential care.
	4. The special rate of Cash in lieu is paid where the beneficiary lives with relatives or in residential care.
	5. The annual entitlement of fuel for any given beneficiary will vary according to the coalfield region he was previously employed in and the type of fuel burnt e.g. house coal, Anthracite, coke etc

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the approaches of the (a) French and (b) German Governments to implementation of individual producer responsibility under the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Directive.

Mike O'Brien: The French and German Governments have produced draft framework legislation for their national implementations of the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Waste. It remains to be seen how individual producer responsibility will be implemented in detailed, practical terms.

Kaliningrad

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the future status of Kaliningrad.

Bill Rammell: The UK supports the EU's policy of pursuing constructive discussion with Russia on issues relating to Kaliningrad. The EU and Russia agreed joint statements on the Kaliningrad region on 11 November 2002 and 27 April 2004. Copies of which can be found at the following links:
	http://europa.eu.int/comm/external relations/russia/summit 11 02/js kalin.htm
	http://europa.eu.int/comm/external relations/russia/russia docs/js elarg 270404.htm
	The joint statements acknowledge the unique situation of the Kaliningrad region as part of the Russian Federation, but separated from the rest of the federation by other states, and agree to make a special effort to accommodate the concerns of both sides relating to the transit of persons and goods between the Kaliningrad region and other parts of Russia, and to intensify their co-operation to promote the social and economic development of the region as a whole. The UK supports the implementation of the commitments in the two joint statements.

Fishing Industry (Scotland)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the Scottish fishing industry.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, Ross Finnie and I met UK industry leaders in October. Mr. Finnie and I worked closely with industry representatives in the run-up to and during the recent Fisheries Council.

Fisheries

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will (a) urge the European Commission to reduce catches permitted to EU fleets fishing in African national waters to levels which do not undermine sustainable fishing for the local fishermen and (b) request an independent study of the effect of EU fishing on the local fishermen, catches, employment and diet in the states which are leased for fishing rights by the EU.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK consistently argues that fishing opportunities granted to the community fleet in the waters of third countries are set at sustainable levels and are coherent with development policy.
	The council conclusions on third country partnership agreements, adopted in July 2004, require the status of fish stocks to be assessed before fisheries agreements are concluded or renewed. They also specify that the coastal state's priorities are taken into account as part of this assessment, in the context of development co-operation and scientific and technical co- operation.

Imported Meat

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether seized meat imports are tested for disease.

Ben Bradshaw: No. Illegal imports of meat are normally destroyed without undue delay though if the seizure was made solely because the importer failed to comply with the pre-notification requirements of Products of Animal Origin Regulations 2004, Customs may agree, after consultation with Port Health Authorities, to the product being re-exported.
	The Government have considered the feasibility of testing samples taken from seized illegally imported products of animal origin for a range of animal diseases. It concluded that the endemic nature of these diseases in many countries around the world results in a low but continuous risk of infected meat reaching the country through illegal routes. This means that all such seizures are treated as a potential animal and human health risk and destroyed, as soon as possible, by incineration. The risk of disease relates to the possibility that infectious material in illegal imports may be consumed by animals. Very small amounts of infectious material may cause disease and are likely to be only a small proportion of any illegal imports. There is thus very little chance of finding infected material by testing samples. Similar considerations apply with regard to the testing of samples for human pathogens.

Scrapie

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on latest research on scrapie and possible links to BSE in sheep.

Ben Bradshaw: Research in recent years has shown that most PrP genotypes of sheep can be experimentally infected with BSE when they are directly challenged in the brain. The results from experimental challenges of similar sheep with large doses of BSE orally indicate that the PrP genotypes that show resistance to scrapie are also resistant to BSE.
	Scrapie surveillance using EU recommended tests in UK slaughter sheep and fallen stock have not shown evidence of BSE. These tests have identified forms of scrapie that were not previously recognised in a small number of sheep. Further work is being done on these newly identified forms, the evidence to date indicates that they do not have the same signature as BSE.

Death Statistics

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which individuals have been appointed to the Hyponatraemia-Related Deaths Inquiry Team; who appointed each one; what the employment is of each; and what the immediate past posts of each member were.

Angela Smith: I appointed John O'Hara QC as Chairman of the Inquiry into Hypnotraemia-related Deaths. The subsequent appointment of staff and their particular roles are matters for Mr. O'Hara.
	As is normal practice, to assist him with the administration of the inquiry, the Department offered a number of civil servants to undertake administrative and clerical duties. Previously the secretary and deputy secretary to the inquiry were employed respectively as the manager of the office of the permanent secretary and the departmental private secretary to the Minister. Of the remainder, one came from the occupational health service; one from the Northern Ireland Assembly; one from the departmental typing pool; and one has returned from a career break. It is understood that Mr. O'Hara is also engaging a barrister, a solicitor and some professional experts in the fields of paediatrics, paediatric anaesthetics, nursing and healthcare management.

Primary Schools

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the reasons for differences in figures for post-primary school enrolments between those issued in a recent statistical press release from the Department for Education in Northern Ireland and those predicted by the Post Primary Review Working Party Report; if he will publish the figures for post-primary school enrolments issued from these sources for each year from 2002–03 to 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The number of children entering post primary education in Northern Ireland continues to fall in line with the falling numbers in primary schools. Neither the base line nor the projected figures for post primary enrolment used in the Costello report included those pupils enrolled in special educational units attached to mainstream schools. When these pupils are factored in, the difference between projected and actual school population figures amounts to 0.6 per cent. or 966 pupils for the current school year.
	This difference is due to an increase in the number of young people staying on in the sixth form, where 26,321 were enrolled in 2004–05 against the 25,332 projected. As such, this may indicate the success of Government policies such as the educational maintenance allowance to encourage young people to stay in school beyond the compulsory school age.
	The numbers of pupils enrolled in post-primary schools in the period 2002–03 to 2004–05 (actual and projected) are as follows:
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Actual enrolments published in statistical press releases 155,747 155,394 153,455 
			 Of which:
			 Special units 839 870 860 
			 Excluding special units 154,908 154,524 152,595 
			 
			 Projected enrolments published in Costello Report 154,908 154,094 151,629 
		
	
	This decline in post-primary numbers is expected to continue as the declining primary school population transfers into post-primary schools:
	
		Year 1 to year 7 enrolments(primary schools and prep. departments)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1996–97 184,638 
			 1997–98 182,261 
			 1998–99 179,033 
			 1999–2000 175,602 
			 2000–01 172,491 
			 2001–02 170,553 
			 2002–03 167,799 
			 2003–04 165,347 
			 2004–05 163,186

Psychiatry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) admissions and (b) bed days resulting from admissions of young people under the age of 18 years who were admitted to adult psychiatry wards there have been in the Province in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The number of (a) admissions and (b) bed days resulting from those admissions of young people under the age of 18 years who were admitted to adult psychiatric wards in the Province in each of the last five years is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  (a) Admissions (b) Number of bed days 
		
		
			 2003–04 173 5,062 
			 2002–03 194 5,401 
			 2001–02 183 6,346 
			 2000–01 198 6,551 
			 1999–2000 196 7,522 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures relate to financial years except for one trust who provided figures for calendar years and for 2004 to 30 November.
	2. If a patient was admitted in one year and their episode carried into the next year the number of bed days are attributed to the year in which the admission took place and the admission is only counted once in the year it occurred.
	3. If a patient is admitted when aged less than 18 years and the patient turns 18 years of age during their episode, bed days after the patient turns 18 years of age are included in total length of stay.
	4. Where possible the number of bed days was calculated excluding days on leave, however one trust was unable to exclude days on leave from their figures.
	5. Figures include patients admitted to psychiatric wards in Muckamore Abbey hospital, which normally caters for learning disabled patients.
	Source:
	HSS trusts

Rural Development Council

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what (a) criteria and (b) procedures are used by the Rural Development Council to assess an application for grant;
	(2)  what grants have been received from the Rural Development Council in each Northern Ireland constituency since it's formation; and for what projects;
	(3)  how many applications for grants were received by the Rural Development Council in each of the last three years;
	(4)  what the average length of time taken by the Rural Development Council to respond to a grant application was in the last 12 months;
	(5)  what projects have been supported by the Rural Development Council aimed at (a) supporting farmers or farm families and (b) promoting alternative skills training in East Antrim in (i) Newtownabbey, (ii) Carrickfergus and (iii) Larne borough council areas in each of the last three years; and how much grant was awarded in each case.

Ian Pearson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Rural Development Council to write to the hon. Gentleman on these matters.
	Letter from Martin McDonald to Ald. Roy Beggs, dated 20 December 2004
	The Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (DARD) has forwarded the Rural Development Council a number of Parliamentary Questions, which you have recently tabled. I wish to respond to each of the questions as follows:
	Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) criteria and (b) procedures are used by the Rural Development Council to assess an application for grant.
	As you are aware the RDC operates an open and competitive application process, where applications are assessed against a scoring framework considering the applicant, area and project.
	Upon receipt, the application is scored against eligibility criteria. Where an application has been deemed eligible it will be assessed against a scoring framework to identify those projects most appropriate for receipt of funding. (A full copy of the procedure and criteria are enclosed for your information).
	Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what grants have been received from the Rural Development Council in each Northern Ireland constituency since the formation of the RDC; and for what projects. 204334
	The following table presents approved applications under the current EU Strategy Period 2001–2006:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 North Antrim 18 
			 Newry and Mourne 25 
			 South Down 8 
			 Strangford 4 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 63 
			 Foyle 14 
			 Mid Ulster 35 
			 East Londonderry 7 
			 West Tyrone 25 
			 Upper Bann 4 
			 Lagan Valley 3 
			 East Antrim 1 
			 South Antrim 2 
			 Belfast North 2 
			 Belfast South 1 
		
	
	Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim) : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many applications for grants were received by the Rural Development Council in each of the last three years.
	The following table presents total applications received by RDC in the last 3 years:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 3 
			 2002 379 
			 2003 82 
			 2004 186 
		
	
	Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average length of time taken by the Rural Development Council to respond to a grant application was in the last 12 months.
	The RDC invited and assessed applications under two specific Measures during 2004.
	The following provides a time-line against the measures:
	
		BSP Measure 4.10
		
			  Date 
		
		
			 Receipt of Applications 31 March 2004 
			 Assessment Panel 23 September 2004 
			 Letters to Applicants 5 October 2004 
		
	
	
		BSP Measure 4.9
		
			  Date 
		
		
			 Receipt of Applications 31 March 2004 
			 Assessment Panel 17 November 2004 
			 Letters to Applicants 24 November 2004 
		
	
	The average time taken to get through the assessment process was around 8 months in 2004. During this period 71 applications were received with 20 approved and 51 refused. £6,810,630.00 funds were bid for against an available budget of £1,980,000. The assessment procedures applied by RDC (attached to this response) are designed to facilitate a rigorous scrutiny of applications from community and voluntary sector applicants.
	The process may or may not involve external economic appraisal by independent consultants as well as initial eligibility testing, needs assessment, options appraisal, budget challenge and advice from key local informants. For many applicants there is also a need to identify matching funds before a decision can be given. Some applications do of course reach a conclusion more quickly than others but given the competitive nature of the process all applications are considered at the same time at a meeting of the RDC assessment Panel.
	Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what projects have been supported by the Rural Development Council aimed at supporting farmers or farm families and promoting alternative skills training in East Antrim in (a) Newtownabbey, (b) Carrickfergus and (c) Lame borough council areas in each of the last three years; and how much grant was awarded in each case.
	The RDC has not funded any projects in the East Antrim, Newtownabbey or Carrickfergus areas aimed at supporting farmers or farm families and promoting alternative skills training.
	Should you require clarification to any of the above please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Student Statistics

Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time education students were at universities and colleges in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Barry Gardiner: The number of full-time enrolments at universities and colleges in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years is as follows:
	
		Full-time enrolments at higher and further education institutions in Northern Ireland: 1993–94 to 2003–04
		
			 Sector HE institutions FE institutions Total 
		
		
			 1993–94 24,075 23,125 47,200 
			 1994–95 24,873 23,675 48,548 
			 1995–96 26,017 23,934 49,951 
			 1996–97 26,089 25,033 51,122 
			 1997–98 28,535 24,968 53,503 
			 1998–99 28,316 23,854 52,170 
			 1999–2000 28,282 24,128 52,410 
			 2000–01 30,666 24,542 55,208 
			 2001–02 31,642 25,163 56,805 
			 2002–03 33,989 24,826 58,815 
		
	
	Source:
	Compendium of NI Education Statistics.
	Weblink: http://www.deni.gov.uk/facts figures/documents/Compendium 04.pdf

Taskforces

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by his Department in each year since 1997 on taskforces and similar bodies.

Paul Murphy: Detailed in the table is how much the Northern Ireland Office spent on some of the major taskforces and similar bodies for which we can provide the information requested in each year since 1997.
	
		
			 £ 
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Organised Crime Task force (NI) 110,165 196,354 244,753 178,677 
			 Independent Commission on Policing for NI (Patten) — — 102,776 536,549 
			 Review of Parades Commission 47,068 29,481 126,740 5,494 
			 Review of Criminal Injuries Compensation in NI — 30,706 196,912 79,045 
			 NI Victims Commission 12,249 633,483 — — 
			 Alternative to the Baton Round Steering Group — — — — 
			 Review of NI Drugs Strategy — 51,944 13,646 —- 
			 Criminal Justice Review — 390,259 761,096 496,780 
			 Total 169,482 1,332,227 1,445,923 1,296,545 
		
	
	
		
			 £ 
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 1 
		
		
			 Organised Crime Task force (NI) 460,451 302,161 363,822 136,326 
			 Independent Commission on Policing for NI (Patten) 521,044 605,611 618,160 388,619 
			 Review of Parades Commission 49,111 125,896 8,482 973 
			 Review of Criminal Injuries Compensation in NI 86,234 27,160 — — 
			 NI Victims Commission — — — — 
			 Alternative to the Baton Round Steering Group — 801,873 806,367 157,342 
			 Review of NI Drugs Strategy — — — — 
			 Criminal Justice Review — — — — 
			 Total 1,116,840 1,862,701 1,796,831 683,260 
		
	
	(8) Up to December 2004.
	Following is a list of other task force groups and similar bodies for which the figures are not easily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Diplock Review Group
	Vulnerable/Intimidated Witness (NI) Working Group
	Sex Offenders Working Group
	Restorative Justice Steering Group
	Review of Probation Officer Qualification Route
	Review of Pre Sentence Reports
	After Care Working Group
	Strategic Working Group Juvenile Justice
	Forensic Science Steering Group.